Mail-bag fastening



(No Model.)

B. W. SNYDER.- MAIL BAG FASTENING. No. 286,339. I Patented Oct. 9, 1883..

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hasp by the edge of the locking-staple.

turn Srnrns Parent DANIEL W. SNYDER, OF SELMA, ALABAMA.

MAlL-BAG FASTENiNG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 288,339, dated October 9, 1883. Application filed March 16, less. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that l, DANIEL W. SNYDER, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Selma,

My invention relates to an improved mail-' bag fastening and tag-holder combined therewith, wherein pronged links jointed together and connected with a hinged hasp are adapted to be placed flatwise upouthe mouth portion of the mail-bag, and by a swinging upward and outward movement of the hasp are caused to withdraw from the holding-staples of the mailbag, and thus allow the mouth of the bag to be opened, and by a downward or inward movement of the hasp the prongs of the links are caused to slide into the staples of the mailbag and the hasp to pass over the locking-staple, and thus when the bag is locked the pronged links will be held by the staples of the bag, while the tag will be confined within the My invention avoids the necessity of swinging out and inward the linked prongs or holding devices by means of a crank motion in order to effect their withdrawal from the staples of the mail-bag, and thus a more compact and simple fastening is secured. The tag-holding device may be of the special construction hereinafter described, and its combination with the spe-- eial construction and arrangement of the pronged links is a novel and useful improve ment. My invention of pronged links sliding back and forth flatwise upon the bag is also a novel and useful improven'ient and with the same any of the known tag-holders may be used without altering its nature or changing its construction.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side'elevation of the upper portion of mailbag with my invention applied to it, the bag being locked. Fig. 2 is a similarview, showing thebagunlocked. Fig. 3isahorizontal section of the bag just below the lockinghasp, looking upward, and showing the hasp at a right angle with the bag; and Fig. 4 is a detail section of the hasp and staple, showing the man nor in which the tag is held by the staple when the bag is locked.

A represents a mailbag, of any suitable construction, provided with staples a, for receiving the prongs of j ointcd links 13, and with a locking -staple, a, for confining the hinged hasp O. Thelinks B are formed, respectively, with a single straight prong, b, attached to nearly rightangle portion 2) of the link, and the links are loosely hinged or jointed to one another by pins 0. The links may be flat on their front and rear faces, or slightly rounded off at their corners or edges, and when applied to the bag the chain of links and prongs lie flatwise against the mail-bag, being confined in staple-like guides 72 71 as shown in the draw ings. To the upper edge of the chain of links a pitnian, D, is pivoted, and this pitnuan is' also pivoted to the upper edge of the locking.- hasp O, as shown; and by means of this pitnian the hasp O, which is hinged to the mailbag, is enabled to slide the prongs of the links either in or out of the staples a, and this is accomplished by swinging the hasp on its hingingpivots from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2. The manner in which the hasp is swung will be understood from Fig. 8 of the drawings, where it is shown as swung half the distance required for either locking or unlocking the bag. The hasp is made chainbering, with closed sides and rear end and with its front end open. The face of the hasp is also constructed with an opening through it, whiie its bottom, which comes against the mail-bag, may be entirely open or entirely closed. Vithiu the chamber of the hasp a post-office tag or label, m, is inserted while the hasp is off the staple, and this tag or label will be held in the chamber of the hasp vby the locking-staple a when the hasp is swung up off said staple. 4

My improved fastening is made of metal,

and its cost, l think, will be less than other secure contrivances, while its convenience and compactness will render it more durable in connection with the postal service.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a' mail-bag pro vided with staples for receiving and confining holding and locking devices, of pronged links chained together, so as to lie flatwise upon the mail-bag, and connected by means of a pitman to aswinging locking-hasp, substantially as label-holding hasp with the pronged links and for the purpose described. chained together, pitman, and staples, sub- 2. The fastening device for mail-bags, com- .stantially as and for the purpose described. prising the pronged links chained together, DANIEL W. SNYDER. 5 pitman, and hasp, each connected substantiaL' Witnesses:

1y as and for the purpose described. M. B. EOHOLs,

3. The combination of the chambered tag 01 C. L. OWEN. 

